For the Aesthetic (or INFP vs ISFP)
Hey guys!
As usual this is based all on my own personal experience and observations and is not backed up by any empirical evidence.
I think most would agree that one thing that INFPs and ISFPs have in common is their love--dare I say hunger--for all things aesthetically pleasing. However occasionally I will stumble upon the thoughts of others claiming that ISFPs are more artistic (because, you know, senses) and more connected to nature (again with the senses) I’m an INFP. But suddenly I’m also the kid on the playground shouting that their shirt is the bluest.
No! INFPs are more artistic! INFPs are definitely the MOST connected to nature! It’s impossible to more connected to nature than an INFP!
Okay, first things first: those are just stereotypes. Remember, MBTI is about cognition, that is how your brain processes information (to put it simply). And what do aesthetics have to do with processing information? Not much. Even if that weren’t the case, if you look at the function stacks for both types they have the same dominant and inferior function--Fi and Te--so very similar. But I’m getting sidetracked.
What I actually want to do is feed the stereotypes and talk about my relationship with my own aesthetic and what I think it might be for a stereotypical ISFP.
I love pretty things. My aesthetic is basically anything covered in floral prints or anything to do with wildflowers. Very forest nymphish. Also everything that Anthropologie sells. Throw in some industrial bricks and pipes and bare light bulbs and gosh I’m getting tingly just thinking about it. As you can probably imagine, I collect of pictures of such on Tumblr, Pinterest, etc. And I imagine these impossibly beautiful scenes a lot. Did I say impossibly? Yes. That’s the problem. I can’t really recreate any of this. I could imagine myself having a picnic in a beautiful field of wildflowers, laying in the grass in some off-white cottony dress. But were I actually to do that, I don’t think it would be as satisfying. I think I’m just always far too much in my head to every truly appreciate my actual surroundings.
I feel that ISFPs are probably more into actually being surrounded by these things. Their imagination might not be enough for them if they were in a grey cubicle, for example (unless minimalist office settings are their aesthetic). Maybe that shows more to other people. They may go to great lengths to beautify their surroundings. But I would too. But when I do it it’s because those things that I’m collecting are a window into the even more beautiful landscape I’ve created in my mind.
Maybe they create art because it’s beautiful, maybe I create art because I’m trying to capture and pin down something that’s for the most part intangible.
As much as I’d like to, I’m not going to let myself end this post on that very pretentious sounding last sentence. Now I’ve done a LOT of assuming here, so I’m very interested in what your thoughts are regarding IxFP aesthetics!